Robert Wansink continued his domination of Otago Chess Club events by convincingly winning the Cleland Trophy. His score of 6/6 was marred only by an unexpected win by default in round three against then co-leader John Sutherland. The two were paired together again in round five and this time Wansink was the victor over the board. Runner-up was the writer on 5 points, followed by Sutherland on 4. The tie for forth on 3½ featured strong juniors David Moratti and Elliot Munro, as well as new club members, Robert Mackway-Jones and Thomas Koentges.
Today's game is the critical rematch between Wansink (playing White) and Sutherland. The notes were kindly provided by the winner.
1.b3 ---
The Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack is a way for White to avoid the beaten track. 1.--- d5 2.Bb2 Nf6 3.Nf3 e6 4.e3 Bd6 5.Ne5 Nbd7 6.f4 O-O
The game now resembles a Dutch with colours reversed, offering kingside attacking chances for White. 7.d3 Ne8 8.Qg4 ---
To prevent 8... f6 and incidentally threaten 9 Nxd7. 8.--- Qf6 9.Qg3 Qh6 10.h4!?
Again preventing 10...f6 as 11 Ng4 Qh5 12 Be2 wins a pawn, or after 12 ...Qg6?? 13 h5 a queen. 10.--- Nxe5 11.fxe5 Bc5 12.d4 Be7 13.Bd3 f6
Closing the b1-h7 diagonal with 13... f5 may offer a better defence. 14.Nd2 fxe5 15.dxe5 Bc5 16.Ke2! Qh5+ 17.Nf3 g6 18.Rh3 ---
Also good was 18 Qh3 with the idea of 19 g4. Despite appearances White's king is the less exposed. 18.--- Ng7 19.Qg5 Nf5 20.g4 Qxg5 21.Nxg5! ---
The alternative was 21 hxg5 when if 21...Nxe3? then 22 Rah1 to meet 22...Rf7 with 23 Bxg6! and 22...Ng2 with 23 Bc1! But 21...Ne7! appears to hold after 22 Rah1 Rf7 23 Nh4 Rg7. 21.--- Ne7?
The best defence was 21... Nh6! 22 Rg1 Be7 23 Nf3 and Black is still hanging on. 22.h5! Kg7
If 22... h6 23 hxg6! hxg5 24 Rah1 is difficult for Black. 23.Rah1 Rh8 24.h6+ Kf8 25.Rf3+ Ke8 26.Rf7 Kd7 27.Rxh7 Rxh7 28.Nxh7 Resigns
The h-pawn will cost a rook.
Wansink wins Cleland Trophy
Problem: White to play and mate in 6.
Robert Wansink continued his domination of Otago Chess Club events by convincingly winning the Cleland Trophy. His score of 6/6 was marred only by an unexpected win by default in round three against then co-leader John Sutherland. The two were paired together again in round five and this time Wansink was the victor over the board. Runner-up was the writer on 5 points, followed by Sutherland on 4. The tie for forth on 3½ featured strong juniors David Moratti and Elliot Munro, as well as new club members, Robert Mackway-Jones and Thomas Koentges.
Today's game is the critical rematch between Wansink (playing White) and Sutherland. The notes were kindly provided by the winner.
1.b3 ---
The Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack is a way for White to avoid the beaten track.
1.--- d5
2.Bb2 Nf6
3.Nf3 e6
4.e3 Bd6
5.Ne5 Nbd7
6.f4 O-O
The game now resembles a Dutch with colours reversed, offering kingside attacking chances for White.
7.d3 Ne8
8.Qg4 ---
To prevent 8... f6 and incidentally threaten 9 Nxd7.
8.--- Qf6
9.Qg3 Qh6
10.h4!?
Again preventing 10...f6 as 11 Ng4 Qh5 12 Be2 wins a pawn, or after 12 ...Qg6?? 13 h5 a queen.
10.--- Nxe5
11.fxe5 Bc5
12.d4 Be7
13.Bd3 f6
Closing the b1-h7 diagonal with 13... f5 may offer a better defence.
14.Nd2 fxe5
15.dxe5 Bc5
16.Ke2! Qh5+
17.Nf3 g6
18.Rh3 ---
Also good was 18 Qh3 with the idea of 19 g4. Despite appearances White's king is the less exposed.
18.--- Ng7
19.Qg5 Nf5
20.g4 Qxg5
21.Nxg5! ---
The alternative was 21 hxg5 when if 21...Nxe3? then 22 Rah1 to meet 22...Rf7 with 23 Bxg6! and 22...Ng2 with 23 Bc1! But 21...Ne7! appears to hold after 22 Rah1 Rf7 23 Nh4 Rg7.
21.--- Ne7?
The best defence was 21... Nh6! 22 Rg1 Be7 23 Nf3 and Black is still hanging on.
22.h5! Kg7
If 22... h6 23 hxg6! hxg5 24 Rah1 is difficult for Black.
23.Rah1 Rh8
24.h6+ Kf8
25.Rf3+ Ke8
26.Rf7 Kd7
27.Rxh7 Rxh7
28.Nxh7 Resigns
The h-pawn will cost a rook.
1-0
Solution: 1 Rd8+! Bf8 (1...Bxd8 2 Rxd8#) 2 Rxf8+! Kxf8 3 Qb4+! Rc5 4 Qxc5+ Ke8 5 Rd8+! Kxd8 6 Qf8#.